You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2258-20-Twins-Trades-Ramos-for-a-Proven-Closer

Then they traded Jose Morales in the off season which left us with Butera as Mauers back up.

I also think the trade was a mistake, but I have always thought Capps has gotten a bit of a bum rap from Twins fans, probably in part due to ire over the trade. And I disagree he was awful in 2012 - his numbers show significant improvement over 2011 (although certainly not to the 2010 level, which seems to have been his career year). If he hadn't gotten injured he might have continued to improve and perhaps be the pitcher we thought he was.

Unquestionably a terrible trade on multiple levels - all which were covered well in this article.

 

That said, the one thing that I think gets slightly underappreciated about this trade and the timing was that the Twins were trailing the Whities at the time and Rauch was starting to look a little dicey at the end of games (this is an eye test thing, not sure if the numbers will completely agree and I don't care to look them up). I think the front office truly thought that sealing off the backend of the bullpen was the main need of the team (perhaps a frontline starter, but there was no options outside of Lee).

 

The flaw of course was that a team should not utilize a talent like Ramos for bullpen help. And if by chance they have to, it better be someone with more upside than Matt Capps.

So I am showing my age-- I saw the headline and thought "we didn't get a closer for Pedro Ramos-- we got Vic Power!"

Right move, just probably not for the right player. Ramos was expendable. He would have been traded sooner or later. It would have been nice to get someone who would have stayed long term.

Except a catcher that is likely to be starter is worth more than a rental on a "proven closer". That's they kind of guy you build a package around for a legit SP. If, you know, you are willing to pay for a legit SP.